Visit to NATO HQ of the NATO Regional Cooperation Course (NRCC-6)

On 7 October 2011, the NATO Regional Cooperation Course (NRCC) visited NATO Headquarters on a Field Study visit, organised by the Political Affairs and Security Policy Division (PASP).

The sixth NATO Regional Cooperation Course (NRCC-6) was welcomed at NATO Headquarters by Ambassador Dirk Brengelmann, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy, who briefed about NATO’s political agenda.

The group then received briefings on NATO’s New Strategic Concept, the Mediterranean and the Middle East by Mr. Nicola de Santis, Head, Mediterranean Dialogue and Istanbul Cooperation Initiative Countries Section, Political Affairs and Security Policy Division, on NATO’s new Partnership Policy by Dr Jarek Skoniezka, Senior Director, Integration, Partnership and Cooperation Directorate, Political Affairs and Security Policy Division, on NATO’s Military Cooperation in the framework of the Mediterranean Dialogue and Istanbul Cooperation Initiative by Colonel Giuseppe Di Maio, MD& ICI Section Chief, Cooperation and Regional Secruity Division, International Military Staff, and on NATO’s Military Command structure by Brigadier General Patrick Wouters, Deputy Director Plans and Policy, NATO International Military Staff and on NATO’s Operation in Libya by Major General Marcel Druart, Director Operations Division, NATO International Military Staff.

The visit also included a series of high-level meetings with Admiral Giampaolo Di Paola, Chairman of the North Atlantic Military Committee, with H.E. Ambassador Carlos Miranda, the Permanent Representative of Spain on the North Atlantic Council, with H.E. Ambassador Riccardo Sessa, the Permanent Representative of Italy on the North Atlantic Council, and with Mr Joseph Manso, the Deputy Permanent Representative of the United States of America on the North Atlantic Council.

The NRCC is a direct response to NATO's HOSG decision in Riga in 2006 to launch the NATO Training Cooperation Initiative with the countries from the Mediterranean Dialogue (MD) and the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI), and the success of the NRCC is demonstrated by the growing interest from regional states, including Saudi Arabia in it. The sixth NATO Regional Cooperation Course (NRCC-6) has 25 participants, from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Mauritania, Tunisia, Kuwait, UAE, Germany, Italy, Spain, USA, as well as from Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.